J&K Higher Education Department Launches Massive Plantation Drive to Boost Green Cover

SRINAGAR, April 07, 2026 — In a significant move toward environmental sustainability, the Higher Education Department of Jammu and Kashmir has executed an extensive plantation drive across the Union Territory as part of the “Green Jammu and Kashmir Mission.”

Formally inaugurated by Sakeena Itoo, Minister for Education, Social Welfare, Health, and Medical Education, the initiative saw the Directorate of Colleges implement a robust action plan across approximately 145 institutions. This comprehensive strategy involved the planting of 10,000 saplings, focusing on strategic site identification and institutional monitoring to ensure the long-term survival of the greenery.

The campaign was spearheaded in Srinagar by Commissioner Secretary of the Higher Education Department, Ram Niwas Sharma, at Amar Singh College, with additional leadership from Special Secretary Shafqat Iqbal and Director Colleges, Dr. Sheikh Aijaz Bashir, who participated in ceremonies at Government Degree College Bemina and Government Degree College Women, M.A. Road.

By positioning academic institutions as the primary drivers of this ecological mission, the department has successfully integrated student engagement with environmental protection, fostering a collective commitment to sustainable development across the region.